Special Education Plan 2012-2013 - Algoma District School Board

Special ProjectsPrinciples of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)Teacher, SERT, and School Administrator In-ServiceA Policy and Program Memorandum PPM-140 entitled Incorporating Methods of AppliedBehaviour Analysis (ABA) into Programs for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders(ASD) was sent to school boards May 2007, and this memo identified the need to providesupports to school boards to effectively implement the PPM on ABA.ADSB has continued with its implementation of Methods of ABA in our schools to support studentpresenting with autism. In-service training sessions were held throughout the 2010 - 2011 schoolyear. Child Care Resources (CCR) ADSB school support facilitated and supported this inservice.Special Education staff have attended over 50 consults and visits to support students andteachers on ABA strategies.Classroom teachers, SERTs and principals have taken part in training sessions and in-servicesduring the summer of 2011 and throughout this school year to support the capacity building withinthe Board to implement the principles of ABA. ADSB will continue with this important training forthe upcoming school year.Connections ProgramConnections for Students is a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Ministryof Children and Youth Services with the focus of supporting seamless transitions for children withAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are ready to make the transition from AIP/IBI servicesto school.Through the Connections for Students 2011 – 2012, 8 school aged children moved fromIntensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI)therapy services delivered through the AutismIntervention Program (AIP) to Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) Instructional Methods in theAlgoma District School Board.Through a year long calendar of monthly team meetings AIP service provider, teachers,educational assistants and community agencies have worked together with parents to plan for thechild’s successful transition to school and/ or increase the knowledge base of the school-basedteam in the use of ABA strategies supporting the needs of the child.Special Education ProjectThree schools teams were asked to take part in the special education project for 2011 - 2012 tosupport student learning in the primary grades. The focus of this proposal was to look at“Universal Learning Supports” for primary students - specifically – JK, SK and Grade One. Theschools identified worked as a team to build capacity within their school and to possibly beavailable as an observation site for other schools to visit and learn from. Universal LearningSupports include – learning supports, environmental supports, assistive technology supports,regulation supports, behaviour supports and transition supports.June 2012 31 of 68